Purrls

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

I Have a Secret

It's a stupid secret.

I wish I could bike commute.

There, I said it. Toldja it was stupid.

As I total up the amount of money we spend on gas every month, I cringe. Even if only in nice weather, I wish wish wish I could hop on my bike, hitch up Maggie in a trailer or cargo box, and ride the 6 measly miles to mom's house (and work, which is right there too).

I wish I could say "yeah, I bike to work".

I wish I could not sit there in the morning traffic jam thinking of all the gas I'm wasting.

And I wish that 2 years ago, I hadn't tried to bike to work and failed. I was all jazzed to hitch up Maggie and Hannibal and even Ning the penguin. I stashed my purse in the back of the cargo trailer and felt immensely cool. Until, less than a mile and a half from home, I nearly collapsed off the bike. Humiliating. I had to call my mother to come get me. The neighbors were coming out to make sure I was okay. Someone offered me breakfast. And a garage to stash the bike & trailer in until that afternoon. I rode the bike back home while Mom drove the baby. And I collapsed on the floor, barely able to breathe.

If I could bike to work, I would not only save the gas & wear and tear on Maxxine, but I would probably eliminate my YMCA membership, which is costing me a lot and I'm using it very little.

On that subject, I'm not sure what to think about the Y. As far as exercise options go, I like it. But I get really bored. I loved running until my kneecaps nearly flew off one day and I almost fell down. I liked the elliptical machine until my heart rate went over 110 and I nearly passed out. I liked the treadmills until I got boooooooooored. I liked swimming but the times for swimming are very limited, and I dislike sharing a lane with 4 other people.

I liked the idea of dropping Maggie off in the kids center and having some "apart time" where she could play and I could work out. Until one day, my kid who is Not Afraid of Anything decided she is stone cold terrified of the kids center, and doesn't even like to go near the door now. As it currently stands:

*I can do classes only on Tuesday nights or weekends, and the ones I want aren't offered then*I can work out on Tuesday nights, but I usually have other stuff I want to do*Maggie and I can do kid classes but they almost all occur when I'm at work*Going swimming is fun but the times are very limited*We pay $70/month for a family membership*I go on average about twice a month

I have severe problems with any kind of exercise in which I'm not doing something productive. Riding my bike to work, the park, the library = productive. Riding around in circles or on a stationary bike = not productive. Running after Maggie on the playground = productive. Running around in circles or on the elliptical machine = not productive. I feel ridiculous dancing around in an aerobics class, running on a treadmill, or lifting weights just for the hell of it.

The only thing holding me back is it is super nice to be able to go swimming or play bball as a family on winter evenings.

Maybe it's time to see if I can train myself into riding that 6 miles, and cut off that gym membership.